Patent GB-1407457-A (GB)
Title: Method of and apparatus for filling a container with rod- shaped articles
IPC: A24C5/352
Filed: 1972-08-31
Abstract: 1407457 Filling containers with cigarettes HAUNI-WERKE KORBER & CO KG 31 Aug 1972 [9 Sept 1971] 40458/72 Heading B8C Rod-shaped articles, i.e. cigarettes, filter cigarettes and filter rods, are formed into multiple-layer partial stores which are then transferred successively into containers. As shown cigarettes Z are fed from a drum 28 on to a pair of conveyer belts 7, 8 and beneath a conveyer belt 48 and from thence on to a single conveyer belt 9 which is provided at intervals with partition walls 11 for forming partial stores 3 of cigarettes. The cigarettes at the delivery end of belts 7, 8 build up on the belt 9 against a feeler 47 of a sensor 46 which eventually operates to cause movement of a carriage 31 against the conveyance direction of the cigarette by means of a motor and gearing 36-39. This movement continues until a rail 41 on the carriage 31 reaches a switch 43 to cause the belt 9 to be driven by a motor 16 away from the carriage 31. The level of cigarettes in the region of rollers 32 falls and the sensor feeler 47 operates to cause the carriage to be driven towards its original position, during which times the level of cigarettes in the region of the roller 32 again builds up against the feeler 47 in the preparation of the next partial store 3. When the first store reaches a position which is aligned with a container 6, it operates a switch 56 to stop the belt 9 and to actuate a plunger 89 which pushes the store 3 from the belt 9 into a container 6. The plunger 89 returns to its original position where it operates a switch 98 to cause a pneumatic drive 72-74 to lower the container by the height of the store 3 therein in readiness for the transfer from the belt 9 of the next store 3 thereon. The containers 6 are carried by a conveyer 4 comprising two chains 62, 63 and supports 64, empty containers being supplied on conveyer belts 82, 83, and full containers being removed by conveyer belts 86, 87. The apparatus is operated automatically by electro-pneumatic circuitry described in detail with reference to Fig. 3 (not shown). Modifications.-In another arrangement, Fig. 4, an intermediate store 151 receives cigarettes from a supply source 152, 153 and they are delivered by conveyers 159 and 154 on to a conveyer belt 166 and thence to conveyer belts 167. Endless chains 188, 189 are disposed below the belts 167 and form guides for guides 186 of partition walls 187. The chains are coupled by a chain drive 193 between sprockets 191, 192 and the walls 187 are displaceable in the guides 186 and are controllable by a spring loaded roller 199 which co-operates with control cams 201, 202. In operation, a multiple layer cigarette stream accumulates on the belt 166 and is pushed over a bridge piece 169 on to the belts 167. When a switch 203 is operated by a guide cam 204, conveyers 154, 159, 166 are stopped, but the belts 167 continue to move so as to form a V-shaped zone above the bridge piece 169; when the cam 204 disengages the switch 203, the conveyers 154, 159, 166 again operate and the lowered V-shaped zone is transferred to the belts 167, during which time the guide 186 is displaced both vertically and horizontally by the chains, and a roller 199 of the wall 187 is moved into the guide, i.e. the wall 187 moves horizontally relative to the belts 167. During further movement of the wall 187 the cam 201 rises and the wall 187 moves upwardly under the tension in spring 198 and moves into the V- shaped zone to form a store 165. During return movement of the guide 186 and wall 187, the latter is moved into its guide 186 by the cam 202 as the guide traverses the lower runs of the chains 188, 189. The vertical conveyer and the transfer device for filling containers with partial stores are as in Fig. 1. In a further modification Fig. 5 (not shown), the bottom of the intermediate store (251) is constituted by a pair of conveyer belts (311) with an apertured compressed air chamber (314) extending therebetween, and by a top plate (319). A further conveyer (366) follows the belt (311) and twin conveyer belts (267) follows thereafter, the conveyer (266) being arranged to travel at a lower speed than the belts (211) causing an accumulation of cigarettes in the stream ahead of the conveyer 266.